maiden special weight

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. Colloquial (c, 2, Vekoma--Terminology, by Bernardini), sidelined since finishing a fast-closing and big-figure second behind Mentee (City of Light) on debut at Aqueduct in June, is nearing a return to the races. Off at odds of 4-1 in his unveiling for George Weaver, the chestnut was urged along by Manny Franco and chased from an inside third as the aforementioned full-brother to champion and 'TDN Rising Star'...

6th-Santa Anita, $55,500, Msw, 10-12, 2yo, f, 1m, 1:40.10, ft, 3 3/4 lengths. HOWIN (f, 2, Gun Runner--Flora Dora {MSW & GISP, $607,152}, by First Dude), a $550,000 Keeneland September yearling, graduated on debut Saturday against three other fillies who also brought $500,000 or better at various sales. Favored at 6-5, the chestnut broke sharply and had a shot to set the pace, but backed off to let Watershed Moment (Omaha Beach) and Boujee Beach (Global Campaign) take the honors instead. Howin stayed in touch with the first two through...

Purses for maiden special weight (MSW) races are projected to remain unchanged for the third straight spring at both Keeneland Race Course and Churchill Downs. Track executives disclosed the pre-condition book figures during the Feb. 1 Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) advisory board meeting. Keeneland expects to write $100,000 MSW races for 3-year-olds and older horses, with 2-year-olds competing for $80,000, according to Gatewood Bell, Keeneland's vice president of racing. Continuing a condition that Keeneland tried last fall, Bell added that there will also be four maiden-auction races written for...

Turfway Park purses for maiden special weight (MSW) races are projected to stay level at $70,000, the same as last season. The dovetailed 2023-24 meets that run through March will open Nov. 29. Chip Bach, Turfway's general manager, reported that projection during the Oct. 3 Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) advisory board meeting. The overall purse structure, Bach said, will also be "similar" to the previous meet "even though we're adding days and races." Bach said Turfway plans on running Wednesdays through Saturdays with a 5:55 p.m. Eastern first post,...

Wonder Ride (Gun Runner) is by one of the best sires in the sport and comes from a winning barn in the Kenny McPeek stable. But Saratoga bettors overlooked her in Sunday's first race, a seven-furlong dirt maiden for 2-year-old fillies. She was sent off at 10-1. You probably won't get 10-1 again on her anytime soon. Ridden by Julien Leparoux, Wonder Ride was never far back, but the jockey remained patient. She got rolling near the top of the stretch, split horses and then took over in the final...

Both Churchill Downs ($120,000) and Keeneland Race Course ($100,000) are projecting maiden special weight (MSW) purses this autumn to be level with the money paid out at the same meets in 2022. Those figures were revealed by representatives of the two tracks Thursday during a meeting of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) advisory committee. The Churchill MSW purses for this year's two fall meets (Sep. 14-Oct. 1 and Oct. 29-Nov. 26) have been unchanged since 2020. In 2020, Churchill offered split MSW purse values in September-$97,000 during the pandemic-rescheduled...

9th-Churchill Downs, $123,240, Msw, 5-21, 3yo/up, 1 1/16mT, 1:43.89, fm, 1 3/4 lengths. TAKING CANDY (c, 3, Twirling Candy--Taking Aim, by Trappe Shot), not seen since his debut last August at Saratoga in a route over the turf where he finished a well-beaten sixth, returned here as the 8-1 choice. The bay colt settled mid-pack as the leaders tried to slow the pace down the backstretch. Into the far turn, Taking Candy looked for running room along the rail, cut to the three path at the top of the lane,...

3rd-Keeneland, $98,610, Msw, 4-27, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:27.71, ft, 11 lengths. ARDEN'S ASSAULT (f, 3, Violence--Can't Explain {SW & GSP, $219,809}, by Not For Love), debuted to be third when routing in a rained-off event Mar. 18 at the Fair Grounds, made the trek to Keeneland and entered the gate Thursday with added blinkers as the 2-1 choice in a tightly-bunched wagering field. Pushed for speed early by Luis Saez, she stormed to the front along the rail and was never challenged through a half in :46.04. In a one-horse...

Purse levels for maiden special weight (MSW) races on the Kentucky circuit have been projected for the summer meets at Ellis Park ($70,000 through 24 dates in July and August) and Kentucky Downs ($150,000 for seven days in September). Those figures were disclosed by representatives of those tracks Wednesday during a meeting of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) advisory committee. The projected Ellis MSW purses will be a boost from the $60,000 offered in 2022. Kentucky Downs will remain year-over-year level at $150,000 after last bumping up MSW purses...

1st-Santa Anita, $68,000, Msw, 1-15, 3yo, 6 1/2f, 1:14.58, gd,1 1/4 lengths. HEJAZI (c, 3, Bernardini--G Note, by Medaglia d'Oro), the $3,550,000 EASMAY sale-topper, finally got the monkey off his back Sunday, winning a rescheduled maiden special weight contest at Santa Anita. Bested by SW Classical Cat (Mendelssohn) after a slow start when first seen at Del Mar Aug. 20, it took a track-record setting effort by stablemate and GSW Speed Boat Beach (Bayern) to best him again Sept. 10. Third in a Bob Baffert exacta topped by Cave Rock...

2nd-Woodbine, C$92,730, Msw, 5-14, 2yo, f, 4 1/2f (AWT), :52.41, ft, 4 3/4 lengths. ADORA (f, 2, Into Mischief--Southern Ring {MGSW-Can, SP-USA, $343,998}, by Speightstown) was heavily favored in this debut and ran to the money with a decisive graduation. Dueling on the front end early, the $450,000 FTSAUG buy sauntered clear with ease in the lane to win by 4 3/4 lengths in :52.41. Delilah's Revenge (Good Magic) closed greenly late to get the better of a photo for second at 44-1 for her freshman sire (by Curlin). The...

9th-Oaklawn, $84,000, Msw, 1-23, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:10.83, ft, 3 3/4 lengths. HOT AND SULTRY (f, 3, Speightster--Hot Water, by Medaglia d'Oro) burst out of the gate at Oaklawn Sunday with her mind on running and never looked back, toying with the field for a facile 3 3/4-length score. The dark bay was sent as the 8-5 choice and kept a narrow advantage through :21.97 and :46.21 splits. She changed leads on cue coming off the turn, batted off her rivals, and drew clear in the stretch, easing up late...